Vehicle delivery now available for Amazon Prime members

Amazon has launched a new service that gives its couriers access to a person's vehicle to leave package deliveries inside.

The in-car delivery service is available to members of Amazon Prime whose cars are parked in publicly accessible areas, such as on the street in front of an apartment building, at a workplace parking lot, or in a driveway.

An Amazon spokesperson says the company does not take photos of customers' cars, and that Amazon Key only obtains a customer's vehicle information on the day of delivery.

The in-car delivery plan, available to Amazon Prime members, is an attempt by Amazon to overcome the hesitation that many feel about opening their home remotely for couriers. When this is setup customers will need to make their vehicles available within two blocks of the set delivery location on the day that delivery is scheduled.

The Seattle-based e-tail giant also is launching Amazon Key In-Car Delivery, a free service that enables Prime members to have Amazon.com purchases delivered to their parked cars.

Where will I select the in-car delivery option when I am shopping on Amazon? You tell the app where your auto will be parked and you can also add in a note to the driver that you want it in the front, the back, the trunk or even under the seat.

It's easier on drivers too, said Michael Holtzen, who delivered Saturday's package and works for a delivery company that Amazon Logistics contracts with.

Another customer has been using the new service to have birthday presents for her daughter delivered.

The service comes as smart cities and connected cars become more commonplace around the country. Customers will need to add their auto to the Amazon Key app with a description of their vehicle so the couriers will be able to easily locate it. Walmart also announced today it's now working with DoorDash as a delivery partner in Atlanta, which joins Walmart's longtime partners on grocery delivery, Uber and Deliv. The vehicle is then remotely unlocked and the package is placed inside.

I spent a week testing the service and became convinced this is the future of urban deliveries- for those with the right cars. Once he arrives near your vehicle, you will get the notification, and after you approve it, a courier will be able to open the trunk and put the package inside.

Amazon Key users also can track when their auto was unlocked and relocked through the app's activity feed, as well as rate their in-car delivery. When I returned home to my vehicle parked on a nearby street, the package was safely waiting for me. Only then is the vehicle unlocked for the delivery to take place. This is particularly true given last year's discovery of a major security vulnerability in the security camera that powers Amazon Key. Assuming you have a compatible auto, Amazon can now drop off deliveries in your trunk at home and in parking lots. The first delivery came during the week. More than three quarters (75.9%) of women said they're unwilling to use it, as did 60.9% of men - a 68.8% average for all, according to a study by InsuranceQuotes.

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